


Let Me Be Your Wings

by isnt_that_wizard



Category: 9-1-1: Lone Star (TV 2020)
Genre: 4+1 Things, And they both get one, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Carlos Reyes Needs a Hug (9-1-1 Lonestar), Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Established Relationship, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Kinda, M/M, Protective Carlos Reyes, Protective TK Strand, Sad Carlos Reyes (9-1-1 Lone Star), Sad TK Strand, Soft Carlos Reyes/TK Strand, TK Strand Needs A Hug, but I'm happy with it, but it's good I promise, idk man i hate tagging, it's a lot of sad stuff with fluff mixed in, this was meant to be shorter and then got away from me
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-11
Updated: 2021-03-11
Packaged: 2021-03-17 19:42:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,361
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29971356
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/isnt_that_wizard/pseuds/isnt_that_wizard
Summary: Over time, TK gets used to Carlos showing up at the firehouse unannounced. Sometimes it’s to surprise him with lunch or to bring over whatever TK accidentally left at the condo that morning. Sometimes Carlos likes to stop by on his way in for a shift, gun strapped to his hip and a badge on his chest, just because he knows TK worries and being able to see him just one more time before Carlos heads into work makes the day easier. Sometimes Carlos walks into the firehouse with a slower pace than normal, hunched shoulders, and a frown marring his face. Ever the poised police officer, Carlos hides it well. But TK learned how to read Carlos pretty early on, can decipher his good moods from his bad. When Carlos walks into the 126 looking like that, it’s a sure sign that something is wrong with Carlos.orFour times Carlos shows up at the firehouse looking for comfort and reassurance from TK, and one time TK shows up at the police station for the same reason.
Relationships: Carlos Reyes/TK Strand
Comments: 40
Kudos: 414





	Let Me Be Your Wings

**Author's Note:**

> CW: mentions of blood, gun violence and wounds, hospitalization, anxiety, past drug use, and addiction
> 
> I saw Carlos walk into the 126 unannounced looking for reassurance from TK in 2x08 and my brain ran with it. The way Owen wasn't even surprised to see him tells me that maybe Carlos shows up randomly a lot. Which is both adorable and sad, kinda like this fic. I haven't written for Tarlos in quite a while, so I hope you enjoy!!

Over time, TK gets used to Carlos showing up at the firehouse unannounced. Sometimes it’s to surprise him with lunch or to bring over whatever TK accidentally left at the condo that morning. Sometimes Carlos likes to stop by on his way in for a shift, gun strapped to his hip and a badge on his chest, just because he knows TK worries and being able to see him just one more time before Carlos heads into work makes the day easier. Sometimes Carlos walks into the firehouse with a slower pace than normal, hunched shoulders, and a frown marring his face. Ever the poised police officer, Carlos hides it well. But TK learned how to read Carlos pretty early on, can decipher his good moods from his bad. When Carlos walks into the 126 looking like that, it’s a sure sign that something is wrong with Carlos. TK is always proved right those days, when his boyfriend usually bypasses an actual greeting in favor of wrapping his arms around TK, seeking out comfort and reassurance. When Carlos comes to the firehouse like that, he knows it’s not an issue Carlos just having sent a text or called about could fix. He needs the physical reassurance- the grounding touch and warm embraces. Every time, TK is more than willing to give it to him, to be his boyfriend’s support system. 

i.

The first time Carlos pulls up to the firehouse with tense muscles and drooping shoulders, they’ve been officially dating for about a month. It’s been an interesting month- a good one,  _ great  _ even- but interesting. TK still had some issues to work through, Carlos still looked like he was worried that TK was going to walk out of their dinner dates again, and then there was the physical recovery for TK and the emotional recovery for them both after the accidental shooting. It was. . . hard. For both of them. They were on territory neither of them had navigated before. Yet it was made so much easier by the fact that they were both so willing to  _ try.  _ For every hardship they’d met this past month, they were there to get through it together, determined not to let this opportunity slip through their fingers. They could be-  _ are _ \- good together. Carlos is like no one TK has ever met before. He makes him feel happy, safe, seen and heard. When it comes to Carlos, the butterflies in his stomach and his happily sped up heart rate don’t seem to go away. So, yeah- it’s been an interesting month. But TK thinks he can speak for both himself and Carlos when he says they wouldn't trade it for anything. 

TK isn’t the one who sees Carlos first when the cop walks into the station that day. He’s on top of the ladder truck, taking a spray bottle and a rag to the dirty metal. It isn’t until he hears Judd’s exclamation of “Reyes! What brings you in?” that he even registers his boyfriend’s arrival. TK is quick to set down his cleaning supplies, spinning around towards the entrance of the firehouse. Carlos was standing by Judd, making small talk with a tired smile on his face. Frankly, TK thought he was looking as though he was about to collapse right in the entrance. TK frowned at the sight, making his way off the rig to meet his boyfriend on the ground. As he approached, he could hear that Carlos’ voice was slower, low. 

“Is TK around?” he asked Judd, almost looking worried about the answer. 

“Strand!” Judd called out loudly, making TK wince at the volume. 

“I’m right here, Judd,” TK responded softly, rolling his eyes at his fellow firefighter. He ignored whatever the Texan said as he patted TK’s shoulder before walking off in favor of meeting Carlos’ gaze. The police officer looked relieved to see TK in front of him. It had the firefighter taking a step closer, hand coming to rest lightly on Carlos’ hip. The action had his boyfriend’s lip twitching up; TK had discovered over the past month that Carlos thrived off casual touches and affection, just as TK himself did. 

“Hey,” TK kept his voice soft, smiling at Carlos. “What’s up? You okay?”

Carlos sighed, hand coming up to take TK’s hand off his hip and intertwining their fingers instead. TK gave it a squeeze, encouraging Carlos to tell him what was wrong. 

“Yeah,” Carlos sighed out after a moment. “Yeah, I’m fine. I just. . . Rough shift. Really rough.”

TK grimaced sympathetically, nodding his head in the direction of the kitchen. “Wanna talk about it?”

Without waiting for response, TK began pulling Carlos further into the firehouse, receiving no resistance from his boyfriend. He led him past the kitchen into the lounge, pulling Carlos down next to him on the couch, their thighs pressed together and joint hands resting in TK’s lap. TK didn’t push him into talking, just waited silently until Carlos was willing to start. He didn’t have to wait long as Carlos let out a loud sigh, followed by a humorless chuckle. 

“Calls with kids are the worst,” he mumbled, leaning sideways until his head hit TK’s shoulder. TK lets out a saddened breath, feeling a pang in his heart at his boyfriend’s words. 

“I’m so sorry,” TK whispered into his boyfriend’s hair, using his free arm to wrap around Carlos, bringing him closer. He could hear it in Carlos’ tone- whatever had happened, they’d lost the kid. Over his time as a first responder, over everyone he knows’ time, losing a child has been the worst feeling in the world. The hardest ones to bear, to forget. With Carlos now pressed against him, TK could feel how tense his police officer was, how he was shaking ever so slightly. TK shuffled closer to him, feeling Carlos relax a little as he did. 

“Wanna talk about it?” TK repeated. 

The tension Carlos had managed to release since walking into the firehouse was back in an instant, and TK regretted having said anything. 

“You don’t have to,” TK quickly backpedaled, cringing at himself. Carlos was such a comfort to him all the time, always seeming to know exactly what right thing to say. TK hadn’t quite figured out how to do the same for Carlos yet. 

Carlos let out a small laugh, squeezing TK’s hand. “I think I just want to sit here. With you. It’s helping a lot actually.”

TK couldn’t help the smile that formed on his lips, turning his head to press a kiss into Carlos’ hair. 

“Anything you need, Carlos.”

Carlos let out a more content-sounding sigh this time, and TK felt a kiss to his shoulder. 

“Thank you,” his boyfriend whispered. 

ii.

“Hey!” TK called happily, grinning at the sight of Carlos walking into the station. “You just getting off a shift?”

As Carlos got closer, TK took note of his clenched jaw, the way his hand rested on his utility belt as it always did was when he was in a serious mood. At this sight, TK felt his smile slipping off his face. Carlos didn’t just look upset, he looked  _ mad _ .

Carlos’ eyes rolled a little bit at TK’s questions. “Yeah, only an hour and a half late.”

TK raised his eyebrows at his boyfriend’s tone. "O. . . kay?"

At his confused tone, Carlos let out a sigh, shaking his head. "Sorry. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to snap at you." 

TK hummed, "Bad shift?"

Carlos rolled his eyes again, and TK could feel the frustration rolling off his boyfriend in waves. He knew it wasn't him that Carlos was angry at, but TK couldn't help but feel something twist in his gut. This was  _ Carlos _ , someone who had never and wouldn't take his anger out on TK, he  _ knew  _ that. Yet he couldn't help but feel the sting of Alex, who loved to use his bad days as fuel to start a fight, to pick at TK for the smallest things to make himself feel better. TK refused to let himself fall into an old pattern again, though. Furthermore, he  _ refused _ to let any memories of Alex taint his relationship with Carlos. 

"Hey," he let out, stepping closer to Carlos and brushing his thumb over the frown dipping Carlos' eyebrows. "Stop that. Take a deep breath, calm down, and talk to me, okay? You came over, so stop being grumpy that I asked about it and just tell me what happened." 

He could feel Carlos deflating against him, heard the heavy breath his boyfriend let out. Carlos' foreheads came to rest on TK's shoulder, his hands resting on TK's waist. TK took a slow, deep breath, carding his fingers through his boyfriend's curls. 

"You're right," Carlos said, his voice muffled as he spoke towards the ground. "I'm sorry." 

"It's fine, babe. Just talk to me," TK whispered back, stepping back from Carlos a little bit so they could properly look at each other. The anger was still evident on Carlos' face, but his dark eyes had lightened up to the beautiful, gentle color TK had become so familiar with. Carlos nodded, then moved to sit in one of the stools at the kitchen counter. TK seamlessly took the one next to him, holding his palm open on top of the counter for Carlos to take if he wanted. His boyfriend barely even glanced down at TK’s hand as he laid his own over it and laced their fingers. 

“If I ever come to you and say I got suspended, it’s gonna be because I punched Carter in the face, I swear to god,” Carlos grumbled out. 

TK grimaced in empathy. Detective Martin Carter was one of the most prominently featured detectives in Carlos’ stories from work, always having done something to alienate the uniformed officers at the precinct. From what TK could gather, the guy was egotistical, rude, and overly strict. 

“What’d he do this time?”

Carlos let out a deep breath, and TK could tell he was trying to keep his frustration in check. “I’m not even sure what the whole story was. He’s working a drug case right now, and I guess some evidence got misplaced. But despite the fact that it’s  _ his  _ evidence and  _ his  _ case, he thinks that it couldn’t possibly be his fault. He exploded, just yelling about the evidence and whose fault it was- which was apparently anyone within five feet of him. He seriously went around to every single officer who was at the original scene and just. . . tore us a new one. Made us go through all our reports, listen to him rant, and then we all got a fucking lecture on the chain of evidence. Like thanks, Carter, none of us went to the police academy or anything.”

TK ran his thumb across Carlos’ knuckles. “What was he trying to prove?”

Carlos huffed, “That it wasn’t his fault, I guess? Which it was, by the way. He kept like half of us  _ an hour and a half late _ because he can’t do his damn job. He pisses me off so much.”

“What about your captain? Have any of you talked to him about it?” TK asked softly, hoping keeping a lighter tone would help soothe Carlos’s mood. 

Carlos shook his head, “No, he thinks Carter is our precinct’s version of Eliot Ness. I think he’d retire before he told Carter he was doing something wrong.”

“That’s bullshit,” TK stated, making Carlos laugh. 

“Tell me about it.” 

Before TK could say more, the alarm rang out loudly in the firehouse. TK sighed. 

“Shit. Okay, um, I’m sorry-”

“No, it’s okay. Talking to you made me feel better already.”

TK stood, pressing a kiss to Carlos’ lips. “My shift’s done in like an hour, okay? Go home, take a shower, and I’ll come over after?”

Carlos smiled at him, nodding before pushing TK towards the entrance of the firehouse. “Go. Stay safe.”

“Always!” TK called over his shoulder, waving his boyfriend goodbye as he ran to the truck. 

iii.

TK sees the Camaro before he sees Carlos. The fire crew is pulling back into the firehouse after a call when he sees his boyfriend’s car. He frowns at the sight, staring at the car as the truck slowly pulls back in. 

“Hey, TK, isn’t that Carlos’ car?” Mateo asks, and TK nods stiffly. 

“Yeah, but. . . he’s on a shift.”

TK and Carlos practically had each other’s schedules memorized at this point, and today their shift endings lined up exactly. TK checked his watch, seeing that Carlos wasn’t due to pick him up for their dinner date for another four hours. Seeing Carlos’ car outside of their firehouse this early was worrying on it’s own. TK was made all the more worried when he made it out of the firetruck and towards the lounge. 

“Carlos?” he called out as he moved into the room. He received no response to his call. He heard the rest of the crew moving in behind him, but paid them so heed as he found Carlos. His boyfriend was collapsed into one of the chairs, his expression more blank than TK thought he’d ever seen. His hands were sitting open in his lap, Carlos’ eyes trained on them. TK frowned at the sight of it. 

“Carlos,” he said again, but he once again received no response. TK bit his lip, moving across the room. He could hear the murmurs of the crew sounding his worry over his boyfriend. Carlos was dressed in APD sweatpants and what looked like one of TK’s sweaters. His eyes were sunken and his skin paled from the caramel color that TK loved. TK wasn’t sure he had seen his boyfriend blink since he’d spotted him sitting there in the chair. He approached Carlos slowly, sinking to the ground in front of him. He was hesitant to touch him; he’d never seen Carlos so spaced out before. 

“Carlos? Babe?” TK whispered, making sure he was in Carlos’ eyeline. He hesitated again, but eventually weighed his options to rest his hand on Carlos’ thigh. He kept the touch gentle, just a brush of his fingers over Carlos’ sweats. His boyfriend sucked in a breath at the touch, blinking like his brain had been reset. Carlos looked around like he wasn’t entirely sure where he was, eyes flashing with recognition. Finally, he landed on TK in front of him, looking relieved as he did so. 

“TK, hey,” Carlos breathed out. TK tried his best to curb his worry, smiling softly up at Carlos. 

“Hey,” he whispered back. “Are you okay? I’ve never seen you look like that before.”

Carlos opened and closed his mouth again, looking pained. TK could sense his crew still behind them and knew he wouldn’t get much out of Carlos with an audience. When Carlos stopped himself from talking once again, like he couldn’t form the words, TK moved to grasp his wrist. 

“Let’s go somewhere a little more private, yeah?”

Carlos just nodded silently, letting TK pull him up, leading him upstairs to the bunk room with an arm around his waist. TK deposited them both onto his bunk, sitting a few inches from Carlos. Close enough that his boyfriend could reach out if he wanted, but far enough that he wouldn’t feel crowded. He waited patiently for Carlos to start talking, just watching him with a reassuring gaze. 

“So. . .” Carlos started after a few minutes maybe, once again gazing down at his open palms. “My shift ended early.”

TK frowned at his nonchalant start, not buying the tone for even a second. He played along, however, saying, “I figured. I saw your car out front when we pulled in. Why’d they let you go early?”

Carlos’ blank expression seemed to crumble at the question. His eyebrows furrowed, his lips drawn into a thin line, his nostrils flaring as he took a shaky breath in. TK inched closer, concern filling his every bone. 

“Sarah’s in the hospital,” Carlos croaked out, his voice breaking over his partner’s name. Dread filled TK along with the concern. Over the course of their relationship, TK had gotten to know Carlos’ partner, Sarah Mitchell. She was a tough woman, able to match Carlos’ wit word for word, loved to tease them, and had a kindness to her that TK didn’t see in a lot of people. She and Carlos were the perfect partners, and the two of them had been working together since they were in the academy. She was one of Carlos’ closest friends, and TK was beginning to care for her just as much. 

“What? What happened?” TK asked quickly, feeling frantic now. Carlos gave an almost whining noise, shaking his head lightly. 

“Gas station robbery,” he said quietly, trusting that TK would read between the lines. And he did; TK knew what Carlos meant as soon as the words had fallen from his lips. He was pretty sure everyone in the area had heard about that call. About two hours ago, police had been dispatched to what seemed to be a run of the mill gas station robbery which had ended up with the robbers getting so spooked that they’d open-fired on the officers responding. Backup and medical had been called quickly; the 126 was busy on the other side of their jurisdiction and another firehouse had been sent. As far as TK had heard, three officers had been injured at the scene. 

“You were there?” TK asked meekly, a pit in his stomach. As soon as he’d heard about the call over dispatch, he’d felt worry. He knew it was in Carlos’ patrol area, but had spent the last two hours on calls of his own, trying his hardest to not think about whether or not his boyfriend was at an active shooter scene. He knew it came with the territory of dating first responders and that there would never be a day when they weren’t worried about each other. TK didn’t know whether to freak out at the fact that Carlos had been there, or to simply be relieved that Carlos was sitting here with him now. 

Carlos nodded, just once. “We were the first on scene.”

TK felt his heart stop at his boyfriend’s words, but kept his emotions in check. 

“Sarah got hit.  _ God,  _ it was really bad, TK. I had to- the blood was-” Carlos broke off in a cry, and TK sucked in a breath. 

He moved, pulling Carlos into his arms as his boyfriend broke into tears, his body shaking against TK. He felt Carlos’ hands gripping tightly at his uniform. He understood why Carlos had been staring at his hands so much. Carlos would have been the first to reach Sarah, the two of them never far from each other on the scene. Any first responder had basic first aid training and would know to try and stop the bleeding. Carlos would have gotten Sarah’s blood on his hands, on his uniform. He knew the feeling that had had Carlos staring at his hands like that. The way that even after washing it off, scrubbing as hard as possible even as the water and soap were no longer pink, it never felt like enough. The scrubbing made hands feel raw and pained, the phantom feeling of blood made the skin color seem wrong, and even when the blood was so gone it was like it had never been there, it was a memory that was hard to forget. 

TK tightened his hold on Carlos, running a hand up and down his back and pressing his lips into his hair as Carlos sobbed into his chest. Every bit of this- Carlos having been shot at, Sarah in the hospital, the heartbreaking cries and the desperate way Carlos was holding on to him- had TK’s eyes stinging, trying to keep his own tears at bay. He’d felt the pain of fearing for those he worked with- for his  _ friends and family _ \- and the emotional shock of not knowing if they would survive when placed in hospital care. TK took a deep breath, trying to keep himself from shaking along Carlos. If he could take the pain away from Carlos, make him have never had to experience what it felt like to have your teammate down on the ground, he’d do it in an instant. 

TK pressed a kiss to Carlos’ head. “God, babe, I’m so sorry.”

He didn’t know how long it was before Carlos’ cries finally subsided. The police officer loosened his grip on TK- not quite letting go yet- and sitting up. His eyes were red and puffy, and he sniffled as he bit his lip, looking down at the bed. 

TK moved his hand through Carlos’ hair, knowing it was one of the strongest ways to calm the police officer down. Carlos leaned into the touch, as he always did. 

“Sarah’s still in surgery?”

Carlos nodded, “Yeah. They said she was stabilizing, but she wasn’t. . . out of the woods yet. Told me they’d let me know if anything changed, and then I. . . came straight here. Didn’t know what else to do.”

Carlos’ voice was quiet, broken sounding in a way TK had never heard from him before. TK leaned over, kissing his temple. 

“You can always come to me, babe. Anytime, for anything.”

Carlos smiled gratefully, leaning into TK once again. 

“Okay, I’m gonna go downstairs, talk to my dad. Then you’re going to give me the keys to your precious baby and let me drive you home. We’ll get some food, maybe some sleep, and then head back to the hospital as soon as we hear she’s out of surgery.”

Carlos began shaking his head. “No, TK, you’re working-”

“Shh, it’s fine. I’m not letting you deal with this alone, okay? I know how much you love her, and she’s my friend, too. Plus, my boyfriend was involved in an active shooter situation, so I’m not sure I’d be much help around here anyway.”

There was a flash of guilt that crossed Carlos’ features, and TK regretted saying anything. Even so, Carlos gave in easily, a sign to TK how badly he needed someone to be with him right now. With another kiss to Carlos’ head and a promise that he’d be back as soon as he could, TK left Carlos sitting in the bunk room to find his father and tell him that he’d be leaving. 

iv.

“I thought being a paramedic meant you weren’t going to do anymore stupid stunts,” Carlos says in lieu of greeting. 

TK’s smile slipped off his face as his boyfriend drew closer to the ambulance TK was restocking, letting out a sigh. “You heard.”

Carlos stared at him like he had grown a second head. “Yes, I heard. Everyone heard. It was all over the radios,  _ and  _ I got a text from Mateo. Seems like some crazy paramedic decided to go up with the firefighters at that building collapse today.”

TK held up his hands placatingly, a silent apology to his boyfriend. “They needed an extra person, and there wasn’t time to call another station in. I’m still fully certified and trained, so I offered to help out.”

“Help- TK, you did a  _ rope rescue _ on a  _ 20 story building  _ that was about to collapse any minute. You do understand that that’s not your job anymore, right? You’re a  _ medic.” _

TK sighed, crossing his arms and glaring at his boyfriend as he jumped out of the truck to stand in front of Carlos. “Carlos, if you want to yell at me, can we wait until I get home? I’d rather not make a scene.”

At that, Carlos’ tense shoulders and furrowed brow eased up, his eyes softening from their anger into something else. “No, that’s not- I’m not here to yell at you, I’m sorry.”

TK leaned against the ambulance. “Why  _ are  _ you here then?”

Carlos bit his lip, now looking out of place in the firehouse. He shook his head, not meeting TK’s eyes. 

“I wanted. . .” Carlos let out a sigh, hesitating for a moment before surging forward, wrapping his arms tightly around TK and pulling him against his chest. TK was surprised by the movement, but recovered quickly to wrap his own arms around Carlos’ shoulders. Carlos tucked his head into the juncture between TK’s neck and shoulder, “I needed to see that you were okay.”

TK felt himself deflate at his boyfriend’s whispered words, moving his arms tighter around his boyfriend. He could understand that. Everytime he heard about Carlos responding to an armed robbery, some sort of fight, any situation where his boyfriend might have to draw his gun, TK felt like a part of him was dying. It was hard to calm down until he finally saw Carlos in person. 

“I am, babe. I’m totally okay.”

Carlos let out a breath that tickled TK’s neck. “You almost weren’t. Mateo, he- He said it was close. That if you and Marjan had been on the ropes any longer, the building might have come down on top of you.”

TK was going to have to have a long chat with Mateo about ratting him out to his boyfriend. 

“Can’t focus on the what-ifs, Carlos. You know that.” 

He felt Carlos nod against him, his arms squeezing tightly around TK’s waist once before he backed up, pulling out of the hug. “I know. It’s just. . . hard. I know it’s dumb, and that with what happened to Tim and then you guys getting kidnapped I should know better, but- I guess a part of me thought that when you joined EMS I wouldn’t be so worried about you getting hurt-  _ dying- _ on a call. So to hear that you could’ve gotten crushed by a building today just. . . wasn’t great.”

TK smiled gently, reaching up to place a hand on the side of Carlos’ neck, pointer finger landing on the police officer’s pulse point. Carlos responded immediately, bringing his hand to rest on TK’s chest, right where his heart was. It was something they had started after TK had a nightmare one night. A reassurance that they were both here, alive and heart beating. It centered them both, whether that be after a bad shift, too close a call, or even just a long day. A silent promise that their hearts belonged to the other, and they’d be there every step of the way. Carlos slipped his eyes closed, leaning into TK’s touch. 

“I get it, Carlos. Every time I see you strap a gun to your hip and walk out our front door, part of me worries if I’ll ever see you again. When I hear your badge over dispatch, I feel like I can’t breathe until you text me again. I know you hate it, but I  _ can’t wait  _ for those shift rotations when I know you’re stuck with desk duty. Because I know you’ll be safe.”

Carlos nodded, turning his head to press a kiss to the hand TK had on him. 

“I’m sorry I scared you,” TK whispered. 

“Sorry for freaking out at you.”

At that, TK let out a grin. “Trust me, it wasn’t just you. Cap and Nancy were both ready to strap me to the gurney to stop me as soon as I volunteered.”

Carlos snorted a laugh, “Good. Although I’m pretty sure if I’d been there I would have actually done it.”

TK smiled up at him, rolling his eyes fondly. “I know you would’ve. But hey- I promise, I’ll be more careful, okay? Stick to my medic duties.”

Carlos smiled, “Liar.”

He knew his boyfriend was only teasing him, but he also knew there was a fair point in his words. TK was an adrenaline junkie, which had been one of the appeals of joining the academy. He’d probably do more stupid, reckless things that had Carlos wanting to wrap him in bubble wrap and never let him out of their house. But over the seven months since he’d officially joined the EMS team, he knew without a doubt that he’d made the right decision. He loved being a medic, loved his captain and his partner. 

“I’ll try,” TK amended, a serious expression crossing his face. Carlos’ eyes trailed over his features, meeting the sincere look in TK’s eyes. The police officer nodded, leaning forward to kiss TK. 

1.

The police precinct bullpen is quiet. It's late- very late. Carlos was on an overnight shift, something he was rarely scheduled for. He'd offered to fill in for a coworker last minute when his wife went into early labor. Thankfully it had been a slow shift all evening, and as it approached 2 AM, Carlos didn't want to jinx himself at the thought that he'd get lucky and the only thing he'd be working on was the stack of paperwork in front of him. It seemed everyone else in the bullpen was hoping for the same; the few others sitting at their desks were all silent. Whether that was from the late hour of the night or the fear that even moving in the wrong way would switch their shift from easy going to impossibly crazy Carlos wasn't sure. Regardless, the only sounds Carlos had listened to for the past hour now were the shuffling of paper, clicks of a stapler, and the slightly gross spitting sounds of their ancient coffee maker. 

So when he heard low voices coming from the other side of the bullpen, it was almost instinctual that he looked up, trying to spot the one who would dare break the precious quiet. Carlos frowned when he was met with the sight of his fiancé talking softly with another officer, Harlon.

"I stopped by to see Carlos Reyes? I'm, uh, I'm his fiancé," he heard TK say meekly, looking awkward and out of place in the precinct. 

Harlon nodded in recognition, pointing in the general direction of Carlos' desk. TK knew, of course, where Carlos' desk was, having stopped by before. Harlon had probably stopped the paramedic on his way in, though; it wasn't often that people strolled into the police precinct at 2 in the morning just to chat with an officer. The usual night shift wasn’t familiar with TK stopping by, or with the fact that Carlos was engaged, and Carlos wasn’t sure TK and Harlon had ever met. TK followed Harlon's movement with his eyes, locking gaze with Carlos as he did. Carlos gave his fiancé a small smile, observing TK as he made his way across the bullpen. His fiancé was looking worse for the wear. He was dressed in an old pair of Carlos' sweatpants, and his now slightly ratty looking yellow hoodie. The circles under TK's eyes were darker now than when Carlos had left the condo for his shift, indicating to the officer that despite it being TK's night off, the paramedic probably hadn't slept more than an hour. His gait was sluggish as he made his way to Carlos' desk, and he subconsciously brought one of the hoodie strings up to his mouth, chewing on it anxiously. Carlos stood up to meet him, automatically reaching out to lay a comforting hand on TK's bicep. 

"Hey," he murmured, ducking his head to try and catch TK's lowered gaze. His fiancé gave a weak smile. 

"Hi, babe," as TK spoke around the string in his mouth, his voice was muffled. Carlos couldn't help but frown at his demeanor. 

"Baby, sit down," he instructed gently, pulling the chair next to his desk closer and softly pushing TK into it. His fiancé went without complaint, and Carlos sat in his own chair, wheeling it so he was in front of TK. "What's wrong? What are you doing here?" 

TK let out a self-deprecating laugh, not meeting Carlos' gaze. "Figured if I went anywhere else I'd just end up here anyway." 

Carlos frowned, reaching out to place his hands on TK's knees. It was an open invitation; TK could shift away from Carlos' touch if he needed to, he could take Carlos' hands in his own- whatever he needed. For now TK just looked down at them, his expression worryingly blank. 

"Didn't want to get into another bar fight," TK mumbled out after a moment, looking pained at the confession.

His words had Carlos sucking in a breath as he was hit with deja vu. A late night shift, sitting in these same chairs, TK looking like he'd gone 10 rounds with a firetruck and that blank look in his eyes. The only difference was the lack of blood and bruises on TK's face and cuffs on his wrist. Because TK had come here first- come to  _ him _ first. 

"Oh, baby. . ." Carlos let sadly, putting a little more pressure onto TK's knees, rubbing gently. 

"I'm sorry," TK choked out, a watery sound to his voice now. "I know that you're working, and I shouldn't have just showed up like this, but- I just. . . I really needed to see you."

Carlos immediately moved forward, closer to TK and brought one of his hands up to hold TK's jaw, "Hey, hey, no. Don't apologize, okay? Never for this. I'm glad you came, okay? I'm glad that you're here and safe. If the choice is you interrupting my paperwork or you doing something that might get yourself hurt? Please,  _ please _ interrupt my paperwork. You know that I’m never going to turn you away if you need me. Besides, I show up at the 126 because I needed to see you enough times that pay back is warranted."

Carlos succeeded in getting a light laugh out of TK, and smiled at the sound. TK still wasn't meeting his eyes, but Carlos could see the wetness gathering there. Carlos was grateful that his desk was the far side corner of the bullpen; the rest of the officers were still dutifully working and the two of them didn't have to worry about an audience. 

"What do you need, TK? Do we need to call someone? Your sponsor?"

"Already did," TK sighed out. "She was the one who suggested I come see you. Use my support system and all that." 

Carlos nodded. "Good. That's good." 

TK smiled a little bit, still chewing on his sweatshirt drawstring. "Yeah. Being around you. . . helps a lot. My therapist says it's because you remind me I have someone to go home to, that you could be just as impacted if I relapsed or did something dumb. I think it's because you're just  _ really _ pretty." 

Carlos can't help but laugh at that, glad that TK's mindset is already improving enough to make a joke. 

"Also it's hard to go chasing after drugs or a fight if I'm surrounded by cops," TK let out a moment later, the flicker of a smile fading away as he fell back into a serious note. 

Carlos gathered TK's hands in his, bringing them up to kiss his knuckles softly, paying extra attention to his left ring finger where the platinum band Carlos had placed there glinted in the dimmed fluorescent lights. "I'm so proud of you, TK."

TK frowned, "For what? I showed up looking like a fucking mess, telling you I'm craving opioids. What the hell do you have to be proud of?"

Carlos was used to TK beating himself up, but it didn't stop the ache in his heart every time. "I'm proud of you  _ because _ of that, baby. You  _ showed up _ . You called your sponsor. You admitted to her, and to me, that you're struggling. You're almost three years sober, and you're the strongest person I know. I love you, and I'm  _ so, so fucking proud _ of you." 

TK's eyes watered again, and he finally looked up at Carlos. The police officer could see the storm brewing behind TK's eyes that was calling for the paramedic to buy oxy or a drink, to get himself punched just to feel something. But Carlos could see the strength of his fiancé fighting it too, and the relief TK felt at Carlos' words. Not taking his eyes off TK, Carlos pressed kisses to his hands once again. TK smiled wetly at him, a grateful look in his eyes. 

"Can I. . ." TK started, looking a little less hesitant than he had when he'd walked into the bullpen. "Can I stay here for a while? You can go back to work, I just think I need to be here. With you." 

Carlos smiled softly. For all the pain he felt on behalf of his fiancé, for all he wished he could take it away so TK never had to have a bad day again, he was glad he could support TK like this. To be the person he went to when he was feeling so low, to give him some inkling of comfort. 

"Of course, TK. Whatever you need, okay?"

Carlos spent the rest of the night at his desk, not even wanting to walk the six feet away from TK to get to the coffee maker. It wasn't that he didn't trust TK, it was just that it was a comfort to them both to stick together. He did as much of his paperwork as he could one handed, keeping the other locked with TK's as much as possible, even when the paramedic dozed off against Carlos' desk. No one, not even the captain on duty, made a comment about TK showing up so early in the morning and staying there the rest of Carlos' shift. Instead they all just wished them both a good day when the night was finally over and everyone was packing up to leave. 

It wasn't enough to call it a habit from either of them- showing up unannounced to the other's place of work in search for comfort or reassurance- but they were both glad to know it was an option. Sometimes a text or call just didn't cut it, and the only truly soothing option was being wrapped in your partner's arms, in their love. TK and Carlos both were more than happy to provide that, whenever it was needed. 

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> don't ask me about the timeline in this or if i included covid like the show did because honestly idk man
> 
> ANYWAY
> 
> I hope you enjoyed!! I kept all of these parts open ended, so you can decide on your own what happens in each one. That said, if anyone is curious to hear more about one of the parts, feel free to leave me a comment and ask about it!!
> 
> I know that all characters expect Carlos and TK were background, which is sad, but I haven't written any Lone Star in quite a while and wanted to get back into the boys' mindset first. Maybe I'll write something else or more soon that involves the whole crew (Grace, Nancy, and Tommy included)! 
> 
> I hope you liked reading this, and feel free to leave me a comment or kudos if you feel so inclined!! Thank you <3


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